Sixth Form Mock General Election

As local elections took place in real life across England, election fever swept across Colfe’s as the Sixth Form held its own mock General Election organised by the Politics department, with the Liberal Democrats emerging as winners in a landslide victory.

Five Year 12 students ran for office, each standing as candidates representing a political party. The candidates were: Janaii (Green Party), Fred (Liberal Democrats), Dharma (Labour), Ollie (Reform UK) and Ted (Conservatives). The candidates researched their party’s main policies that they thought would appeal to sixth formers, presented draft speeches to each other for constructive feedback, and delivered their final campaign speeches at a Sixth Form assembly.

The whole activity mirrored the process that happens in the outside world, with the candidates identifying key policy messages, producing campaign display material and organising the assembly hustings, right down to setting up and organising a polling station in the Beardwood foyer with volunteers to run the station on voting day – complete with the requirement for voter ID – and count the votes.

Returning Officer (Xanthe, Y12) announced the results at form time on the day of the real-life elections themselves, with a resounding win for Fred and the Liberal Democrats securing 50 of a possible 128 votes, representing 39% of the vote share. The victor gave a gracious speech thanking his campaign manager and the people who voted for him.

Head of Politics Mark Poolton said, “Our mock election was a very useful exercise for the students to learn first-hand the process and organisation of an election. The exercise gave the students some very valuable experience in how to build campaigns and analyse those of their rivals, as well as an opportunity to practise and perfect their public speaking skills. I would like to congratulate all the candidates who led their parties, and all who helped organise, from the staffing of the polling station and counting of the votes to the Returning Officer. The campaigning was extremely impressive, and congratulations go to Fred for his winning campaign. I hope we may see one or two of these students on a future Question Time panel!”

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